Pakistan has extended its airspace ban for Indian aircraft by another month till January 23.
Pakistan had closed its airspace to all Indian aircraft in April after the Pahalgam attack. India too has imposed
a similar ban on Pakistan.
This marks nearly nine months of restrictive flight operations between India and Pakistan, and is likely to have a severe impact on the operational capabilities and finances of India’s aviation sector.
The previous extension of the ban was set to expire on December 24. But the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed this week that the restrictions will continue until January 23.
The PAA issued a ‘notice to airmen’ (NOTAM) to this effect, confirming that the closure applies specifically to Indian-registered aircraft, including those owned, operated, or leased by Indian airline operators as well as military flights. The restriction covers both the Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) flight information regions (FIR).
According to the NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), the restriction, which has already been in force, “will continue until January 23, 2026, as per the specified timings”.
“Pakistan airspace will remain closed to Indian-registered aircraft, including all aircraft owned, operated, or leased by Indian airlines, as well as Indian military flights,” the PAA stated.
Pakistan’s airspace is divided into two FIRs — Karachi and Lahore, as per a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) document from 2022.
Sources told News18 that the new notification has closed common legal and technical loopholes used earlier. Unlike routine civil aviation restrictions, Pakistan has included Indian military aircraft indicating the the security-driven nature of the move rather than a purely aviation or commercial decision, they said. It also shows that the restriction is being periodically reviewed but with no immediate rollback in sight, they added.
WHAT THIS MEANS, IMPACT ON INDIA’S AVIATION SECTOR
Pakistan’s airspace ban extension forces Indian airline operators to continue using longer alternate routes over the Arabian Sea and central Asia.
This is leads to higher fuel burn, longer flight times, and increased operational costs especially on Europe and West Asia sectors.
Top intelligence sources said Pakistan is using airspace control as a pressure tactic at a time when India-Pakistan relations are in a bad shape, while the neighbour itself has internal security and economic stress.
These airspace restrictions affect approximately 800 weekly flights operated by Indian airline operators, including both outward and return legs, as per reports. These typically west-bound flights serve destinations including West Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Caucasus, and eastern North America from key north Indian airports like Delhi, Amritsar, and Jaipur.
In fact, Tata Group’s Air India that operates India’s sole ultra-long-haul services to North America, estimates the cost of the Pakistani airspace closure could reach Rs 4,000 crore on an annualised basis. During a previous four-month closure in 2019, Indian carriers collectively incurred estimated losses of around Rs 700 crore.
In stark contrast, the reciprocal ban imposed by India appears to have a relatively lower impact on Pakistan, whose flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), maintains a limited international presence and is struggling at present.
(With agency inputs)
